Nut feeding and orienting means at work station



G. c. ABBOTT 3,139,638

NUT FEEDING AND ORIENTING MEANS AT WORK STATION July 7, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 13, 1956 mvsmox fin C fieaorr BY ,JM,720% 9- M ATTORNEYS y 7, 1964 s. c. ABBOTT 3,139,638

NUT FEEDING AND ORIENI'ING MEANS AT WORK STATION Original Filed Dec. 13,1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FM C #550" ATTORNEYS July 7, 1964 G. c.ABBOTT NUT FEEDING AND ORIENTING MEANS AT WORK STATI 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Original Filed Dec. 15, 1956 lid 54 INVENTOR 62/1 fisaorr ATTORNEYfi G.C. ABBOTT 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS July 7, 1964 NUT FEEDING ANDORIENTING MEANS AT WORK STAT Original Filed Dec. 13, 1956 G. c. ABBOTT3,139,638

NUT FEEDING AND ORIENTING MEANS AT WORK STATION July 7, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Dec. 13, 1956 INVENTOR fi/z Caesar-rATTORNEYS M M W United States Patent 3,139,638 NUT FEEDING AND ORLENTINGMEANS AT WGRK STATEUN Gail C. Abbott, Grip Nut Co., South Whitley, 1nd.Original application Dec. 13, 1956, Ser. No. 628,040, new

Patent No. 3,084,359, dated Apr. 9, 196.3. Divided and this applicationApr. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 189,949

4 Claims. (Cl. 110-162) The present invention relates to improvements inautomatic machine tools and more particularly to improvements in locknut forming machines. This is a division of co-pending applicationSerial No. 628,040 filed December 13, 1956 for Machine Tool now U.S.Patent No. 3,084,359.

Examples of prior art lock nut forming devices may be found in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 2,686,546, issued August 17, 1954 to l. A.MacLean, lr. and 2,754,- 871 issued July 17, 1956 to A. Stoll.

It is a primary general object of this invention to provide an improvedmachine tool for automatically feeding a series of interchangeable workpieces to and accurately positioning such work pieces at a work stationand embodying a tool at said work station adapted to act upon the workpieces in timed relation to their movement through the work station.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine forrapidly converting preformed internally threaded nuts into lock nuts bysimultaneously distorting discrete portions of the nut threads atsymmetrically spaced positions about the nut axes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machineembodying a plurality of indenting dies mounted for converging anddiverging movement in a common plane in equi-angularly spaced relationrelative to a common point in that plane and a nut feed mechanism forsequentially positioning nuts at and removing them from the center offocus of the paths of die movement in timed relation With thesimultaneous like movement of the dies.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a nut sideindenting machine which may be readily and r pidly converted fromaccommodating nuts of any given size to accommodate nuts of any othergiven size distinct from the first nut size and converted to producevarious types of side indentations for different types of lock nuts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide indenting dieassembly comprising a hard metal spherical indention die and a holdertherefor in which the die can be readily and rapidly replaced.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an indenting dieassembly embodying an indenting die and a stop-off shoulder disposed insurrounding relation to the Working surface of the indenting die andhaving a face adapted to engage the side face of a nut being indented toestablish the limit of inward indenting movement of the die into a nutside face.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improveddevice for rapidly feeding a plurality of Work pieces seriatim to a Workstation and accurately anguiarly orienting each article at the workstation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmachine in which a work piece is accurately positioned relative to apredetermined plane and accurately angularly oriented about an axisnormal to such plane without material lateral restraint parallel to theplane and in which a plurality of tools symmetrically disposed about theWork piece impart simultaneously exerted counter-balancing thrust forcesupon a so-positioned Work piece in a direction parallel to the plane sothat the thrust forces are absorbed entirely by the work plece.

'ice

These and other objects of the present invention will become more fullyapparent by reference to the appended claims as the following detaileddescription proceeds the reference to the accompanying drawings where-1n:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the machine tool of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the machine tool of thepresent invention and the hydraulic fluid circuitry controlling itsactuation;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the nut feeding mechanism takensubstantially along the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line4--4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the starter bushing of the nut fedingmechanism;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 ofFIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 ofFlGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view through the nut indexing fixtureand pilot;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 ofFIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a view taken substantially along the line 10-40 of FIGURE 4illustrating the relationship of a nut received in the indexing fixtureto the indenting dies immediately prior to the initiation of nutindentation;

FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the indenting dieassemblies;

FIGURE 12 is a vertical section view through the pressure electricswitch assembly;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along theline 1313 of FIGURE 2.

The machine of the present invention is primarly intended for use informing lock nuts of the type disclosed in United States applicationSerial No. 603,921 filed August 14, 1956 by Gail C. Abbott for SelfLocking Nuts but may be used in forming any side indented nut such asthose disclosed in the aforesaid MacLean & Stoll patents or for otherpurposes as will become apparent presently. The specific disclosedembodiment utilizing three indenting die assemblies is adapted to indentalternate ones of the side faces of hexagonal nuts.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES 1 and 2, themachine of the present invention comprises a downwardly inclined chute26 through which nuts are fed by gravity in a single line laterally froma hopper (not shown) to a nut receiving station 22, a work station 24located directly above the receiving station 22 and to which each nut istransferred in order from the receivin station 22 by a verticallyreciprocable pusher or shuttle 26, a plurality of fluid motors 28, 30and 32 equiangularly spaced about the work station, the movable elementof each of which mounts one of the three indenting tools 34, 36 and 38respectively. Motors 28, 3d and 32 are rigidly mounted upon the topsurface of a bolster plate it) and rigidly interconnected at their topsby a spider 2-2,. An air powered nut ejecting device is located adjacentthe work station 24 to eject each finished nut into a nut receivingchute 46.

As is most clearly apparent from FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, the nut receivingstation is defined by a starter bushing 48 which is formed with acentral boss 50 having a through opening 52 of polygonal cross section(hexagonal for hexagonal nuts, square for square nuts etc.) and a sideopening recess 54 through which the nuts 56 are fed laterally seriatimto a position in alignment with the through opening 52 from the chute 20over the top surface of the bolster plate 40. The starter bushing 48 isformed with laterally extending attachment lugs 58 and 60 and is securedto the bolster plate by bolts 62 passing through apertures in the lugs58 and 60 and threadedly received in aligned threaded apertures in thebolster plate 40 as is most clearly shown in FIGURE 3. The starterbushing 48 establishes the initial alignment of each nut receivedthrough the chute 20 prior to the transfer of the nut to the workstation 24. The side to side dimensions of the through aperture 52 areslightly greater than the maximum across face dimension of the size ofnut being indented. For example, the side to side dimension of aperture52 for a three quarter inch across flats nut is .782 inch and for a onehalf across flats nut, .532 inch. The vertical height of the sideopening recess 54 also varies with the nut size: .465 inch for a /t" nutand .273 for a /2" nut for example. The starter bushing 48 is readilydetachable and replaceable by a similar starting bushing having a siderecess 54 and through aperture 52 of suitable dimensions to accommodatenuts of other sizes.

The mechanism for transferring each nut 56 from the receiving station 22to the work station 24 consists of a shuttle or pusher 26 which isactuated by a piston type fluid motor 66. Fluid motor 66 comprises acylinder 68, a piston 70 mounted for longitudinal vertical slidingmovement within the cylinder 68, upper and lower cylinder end plates orcups 72 and 74 which are threadedly received and fixed within the endsof the cylinder 68 and rendered fluid tight therewith by annular sealingelements 76 and 78 respectively and which are apertured at 80 and 82respectively to slidably receive the upper and lower piston rods 84 and86 integral with piston 70, fluid tight relationship between the pistonrod 84 and the end plate 72 being maintained by a fluid seal 88, fluidtight relationship being the piston rod 86 and the end plate 74 beingmaintained by an annular seal 90, and fluid tight relation between thepiston 70 and wall of cylinder 68 being maintained by piston rings 91.The pusher 26 is threaded upon the upper end of the upper piston rod 84and fixed thereto in abutment with the polygonal end portion 92 of rod84. The fluid motor 66 and the pusher 26 are located substantially incoaxial alignment with the aperture 52 in the starter bushing 48, theupper end of the pusher extending through a through aperture 94 formedthrough the bolster plate 40 and being guided at its upper end forvertical sliding movement by a shuttle bushing 96 recessed in the topsurface of bolster plate 40 so that the top surface of bushing 96 isflush with the top surface of the bolster plate 40. In order to impartupward movement to the piston '70 and pusher 26, motive fluid isintroduced through the port 98 of the cylinder 68 and exhausted throughthe port 100 on the opposite side of the piston 70. When it is desiredto lower the pusher 26, motive fluid is introduced through the port 100and exhausted through the port 98. The pusher 26 is larger in crosssection than the minor diameter of the nuts with which it is used sothat, as the pusher 26 is lifted, its upper end face abuts the bottomsurface of a nut 56 around the threaded bore thereof and lifts the nut56 vertically to the work station 24. For a /2 nut, the diameter of theshank of pusher 26 is .437; for a nut, .687 for example. The diameter ofthe bore of bushing 96 is dimensioned to accommodate the pusher 26 witha free sliding fit, .442" for a /2 nut, .692 for a A nut.

Referring to FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, the work station 24 comprises a nutindexing fixture 102 having a downwardly opening polygonal recess 104 ofsimilar cross section and aligned with the polygonal through aperture 52of the starter bushing 48 at the receiving station 22 to receive a nut56 lifted by the pusher 26 from the receiving station 22 to the workstation 24 in a position as shown in FIGURE 10. The side to sidedimensions of recess 104 vary with the size nut being indented, .750 fora /4" nut and .495 for a /2" nut, for example. The work station 24further comprises a centrally located pilot 106 having a hemisphericalend surface 108 merging into a cylindrical piloting portion 110, thediameter of which is so dimensioned as to be received into the threadedbore of each nut 56 as it is lifted into the work station 24 toestablish accurate coaxial alignment of the nut 56 at the work station24, .245 for a /2 nut and .400 for a nut. Pilot 106 is mounted forlimited vertical sliding movement relative to the indexing fixture 102by the guide surfaces 112 and 114 and is resiliently biased toward adownward limit position established by the coaction between the head ofa stop screw 116 threadedly received in the upper end of the shank 118of the pilot 106. The downward biasing force on pilot 106 is exerted bya compressed coil spring 120 received within the central bore 122 of thefixture 102 in surrounding relation to the shank 118 of the pilot 106and compressed between the end surface 124 of bore 122 and the annularshoulder 126 on pilot 106. The pilot 106 is mounted for limited freevertical movement in opposition to the biasing force of spring 120, butis restrained against rotation by the coaction between the stem 130 of ascrew 132 and a longitudinally extending slot 134 in the exteriorsurface of the pilot 106. Three equiangularly spaced radially projectinglugs 136 are formed on the pilot 106 at the upper end of the cylindricalportion 110. Lugs 136 are dimensioned to be received within acylindrical recess 138 formed in the end wall of bottom opening recess104. The lugs 136 abut the end wall of the recess 138 to establish theupper limit position of the pilot 106.

The bottom opening recess 104 is formed with equiangularly spaced sideopenings 140, 142 and 144 formed by the removal of alternate ones of theside faces of the nut 56. Openings 140, 142 and 144 are tool entryopenings through which the ends of the indenting tools 38, 36 and 34respectively pass to engage the aligned side faces of the nut 56 when inwork station 24 as illustrated in FIGURE 10.

When a nut 56 is lifted by the pusher 26 the end 108, 110 of the pilot106 passes into the threaded bore of the nut 56 to establish accuratelyits coaxial alignment and, when the upper end face of the nut 56 abutsthe projections 136, the pilot 106 is forced upwardly in opposition tothe biasing force of the spring 120 until the nut 56 is fully receivedin the recess 104. As is apparent from the foregoing given dimensionsfor the recess 104 and openings 52, the side to side dimension of recess104 more closely approximates the maximum in tolerance dimension fornuts of the nominal size it is designed to receive than thecorresponding dimension of opening 52 for the same size nut. Thisestablishes a more accurate angular orientation of the nut in theindexing fixture 102 than in the starting bushing 48. This, as is mostclearly shown in FIGURE 10, permits slight lateral play of the nut 56except for those having exactly the maximum across flat in tolerancedimensions. When acted upon simultaneously by the three indenting tools34, 36 and 38 the nut is self centered and absorbs the entire forceexerted by the tools 34, 36 and 38 without transmission of any materialportion of that force to the indenting fixture 102 or the pilot 106.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the indexing fixture 102 is received in the endbore in a supporting screw 152, being retained therein by a set screw154 engaging annular groove 156 formed in the periphery thereof. Thesupporting screw 152 is threaded through the threaded hole 156a throughthe centrally located boss 158 in the spider 42 and is fixed in itsadjusted position thereon by a lock nut 160. The vertical position ofthe screw 152 establishes the vertical location of the work station 24.The engagement of the set screw 154 with the annular groove 156 permitsrotation of the indexing fixture 102 relative to the screw 152 toestablish the desired angular orientation thereof relative to thestarter bushing 48 to receive nuts 56 after the vertical position of thescrew 152 has been established. The set screw 154 is then tightened tofix the angular orientation of the indexing fixture 102.

Each of the fluid motor 23, 3t) and 32 is identical and identicallymounted, the detailed construction of motor 28 being illustrated inFIGURE 4. Fluid motor 28 comprises a member 164 having a cylindricalbore 166 forming the cylinder in which is slidably received a piston 16%having an integral piston rod 179 projecting from the end thereofadjacent the Work station 24 through an aligned aperture 172 in an endplate 174 fixed to the member 164 by suitably spaced screws 176. Fluidtight relation between the piston 168 and the cylinder wall 166 ismaintained by piston rings 178, between member 164 and member 174 byannular sealing element 189 and between the piston rod 170 and themember 174 by a stuffing box 182. The indenting tool 34 is received in athreaded end bore 184 in the end of piston rod 170 and is fixed in aidaladjusted position relative to piston rod 17% by a lock nut 13%. Fluid isintroduced into cylinder 166 on the piston rod side of piston 168through a fluid conduit 38 passing through bolster plate 40 and themember 174, and fluid is introduced into cylinder 166 on the oppositeside of piston 168 through a fluid conduit 188 passing through bolsterplate 4% and the member 174 and fluid is introduced into cylinder 166 onthe opposite side of piston 163 through a conduit 190 extending throughbolster plate 46 and the member 164 as shown. An access opening 1% issealed by an oil tight fitting dowel 194. The fluid motor 28 is fixed tothe bolster plate 40 by a clamping yoke 196 which, as is bestillustrated in FIGURE 3, surrounds the members 174 and 164 at theirabutting portions and is fixed to the bolster plate 40 by screws 128 andby dowels 19? (FIGURE 1). Each of the three yokes 196 for the threefluid motors 28, 3d and 32 is rigidly fixed to the spider 4-2 by screws260 and dowels 262. The axes of the piston rods 170 of each of themotors 28, 3t) and 32 lie in a common plane parallel to the top surfaceof the bolster plate 40 and intersect the axes of the indexing fixture152 at a common point in that plane, the axes of the mdexing fixture 102being normal to the plane defined by the axes of the piston rods 170 asis the path of movement of the nut 56 in its movement from the receivingstation 22 to the work station 24.

The indenting tool assembly 34 may take the form of a deflector punch asis illuustrated in FIGURE 4 but preferably is of the form 34'illustrated in FIGURE 11 which comprises an externally threaded bodymember 266 of elongate construction having an internal through bore 208terminating at one end in an inwardly turned annular lip 219 and aplanar end face 212 normal to the axis of the member 206 and at theother end in an internally threaded counterbore 214. A hard metalspherical ball, constituting an indenting tool 216, of smaller diameterthan the diameter bore 208 and of greater diameter than the aperturedefined by the lip 21d is received within the bore 2&8, having a portionthereof projecting beyond the planar surface 212 and is retained'in thisposition by a retainer member 218 received within the bore 208. Retainermember 218 is formed with a segmental spherical seating surface 226 toprovide a seat for the indenting tool 216 and is of slightly lesserdiameter in cross section than the diameter of the bore 263. Thispermits slight lateral movement of member 218 within the bore 2% topermit proper seating of the tool 216 relative to the lip 21% and theseat 22%. Leftward movement of the retainer member 218 within the member206 as viewed in FIGURE 11 is prevented by a plug 222 threaded into thecounterbore 214 in abutment with the end of retainer member 218 oppositethe seat 220. Plug 222 is formed with a non-circular tool receivingsocket 224 to facilitate its removal and insertion.

The surface 212 forms a stop limiting the penetration of the indentingtool 216 into the side face of a nut 56. That is, the indenting toolassembly 34 will be moved forward by the fluid motor 28 to effectpenetration of the projecting portion of the die 216 into the alignedside face of the nut 56 until the surface 212 abuts that side face ofthe nut 56. At that time further penetrating movement of the indentingtool 216 will terminate and the indenting tool assembly 34 will berestored to its inoperative position as shown in FIGURE 4. Thisoperation will be explained in greater detail presently. I

With the foregoing described details of construction in mind theoperation of the machine tool of the present invention will become fullyapparent by reference to the diagrammatic showing of FIGURE 2. Theentire system is operative in timed relation to lift each nut from thereceiving station to the work station, indent it and eject it. Thesystem is powered primarily by hydraulic fluid under pressure which isavailable from the reservoir 226. Hydraulic fluid is drawn fromreservoir 226 through a conduit 228 to a pump 23% which is driven by anelectrical motor 232.. Fluid under pressure from pump 230 is transmittedby a conduit 234 to a pressure relief valve 236 which controls thesupply of fluid to a conduit 238 at a constant pressure, returning theexcess hydraulic fluid via a conduit 24% to the reservoir 226. Theconduit 238 is the supply conduit to a four-way solenoid operatedcontrol valve 242. In one setting of valve 242, it connects conduit 238to conduit 244 and simultaneously connects conduit 246 to conduit 248which is a return conduit from valve 242 to a reservoir 226. Thissetting is the setting of valve 242 during the time a nut is transferredfrom the receiving station 22 to the work station 224 and indented bythe indenting tools 34, 36 and 38. The second position of solenoid valve242 connects conduit 244 to return conduit 248 and supply conduit 238 toconduit 246. This is the setting of valve 242 which is effective torestore the pusher 26 to its lower position and the indenting tools 34,36 and 38 to their inoperative positions. Solenoid valve 242 iscontrolled electrically by a switch 25% the actuation of which will bedescribed presently.

With the valve 242 in its first described position in which conduit 238is connected to conduit 244, hydraulic fiuid under pressure is suppliedvia conduit 252, manual throttle valve 254 and conduit 256 to the inletport 98 of the cylinder 66 and the port of cylinder 66 is connected viaconduit 258, conduit 248, valve 242 and conduit 248 to the reservoir226. This effects upward movement of the piston 70 (FIGURE 3) totransfer a nut from the receiving station 22 to the work station 24 andto support the nut in the work station during indentation. At the sametime, hydraulic fluid under pressure is supplied by conduits 254 and 266to a main cylinder shut off valve 262 which is controlled by a solenoid264 and which is in its closed position during upward movement of thepusher 26.

Solenoid 264 is controlled by an electrical switch 266 which is actuatedby a rocker arm 268 pivoted at 270 upon a plate 272 fixed by a collar274 to the lower end of the cylinder 66. Rocker arm 268 is formed at oneend with an aperture through which a rod 276, coaxially fixed to the endof the piston rod 86, projects. A collar 278 is fixed to piston rod 86above the arm 275 of rocker arm 268 and abuts the top of arm 275 whenthe piston 70 of cylinder 66 is in its lowermost position to pivotrocker arm 268 in a clockwise direction to actuate switch 266 to socontrol the energization of solenoid 264 as to maintain valve 262 in itsclosed position. The rocker arm 268 is mounted on pivot 27% and isfriction held by friction Washers 280 and 282 (FIGURE 13) in any pivotedposition in which it is set, so that when collar 278 strikes the arm 275of rocker arm 268 to pivot it in a clockwise direction, rocker arm 268will remain in that position after piston rod 86 and piston 70 starttheir upward travel.

Mounted on the lower end of the rod 276 is a coil spring 284, anadjusting nut 286 and a lock nut 288. The nuts 286 and 288 are adjustedalong the rod 276 to determine the upper position of the upper end ofthe spring 284.

When the piston 70 approaches the upper limit of its 7 travel within thecylinder 68 to position a nut at the work station 24, the upper end ofspring 284 abuts the lower face of the arm 275 of rocker arm 268 topivot rocker arm 268 in a counterclockwise direction to reverse thesetting of switch 266. The reversal of switch 266 controls the operationof solenoid 264 to open the main cylinder shut-otf valve 262 whichpermits fluid to pass through conduit 260, valve 262, and conduits 290,292 and 294 to each of the fluid motors 28, 30 and 32 via their inletports 190 (FIGURE 4) to impart work piece engaging movementssimultaneously and equally to all of the indenting tools 34, 36 and 38.The conduit 290 is also connected by a conduit 296 to a pressureresponsive device 298, the detailed construction of which is shown inFIGURE 12.

The pressure responsive device 298 controls the operation of the switch250 which, it will be recalled, controls the actuation of the solenoidvalve 242. When the indenting tools 34, 36 and 38 are advanced to aposition in which the indenting tools 216 thereof have penetrated theside faces of the nut 56 and the stop-off face 212 (FIG- URE 11) of eachof the tool assemblies 34, 36 and 38 abuts the associated side face ofthe nut 56, there arises suddenly a higher resistance to further inwardmovement of the tool assemblies 34, 36 and 38. This is reflected by asudden increase in pressure within the fluid motors 28, 30 and 32 and,via the conduit 296, passages 297 and 297:: and orifice 346 (FIGURE 12)in the pressure responsive device 298 a controlled increase in pressurein device 298. This increase in pressure is effective to impart acounterclockwise pivotal movement of rocker arm 300 to reverse thesetting of switch 250 to change the operative setting of the valve 242to its second above described setting. In its reversed position as hasbeen described, fluid pressure from conduit 238 is applied throughconduit 246 and conduit 258 to the inlet port 100 of cylinder 66 toimpart downward movement to the pusher 26 and simultaneously via conduit302 and 304 to impart fluid pressure to the fluid motors 23, 30 and 32via their inlet ports 188 (FIGURE 4) to restore the indenting toolassemblies 34, 36 and 38 to their inoperative position. This fluidpressure is also applied via conduit 306 to the fluid pressureresponsive device 298 but, until pistons 168 and 70 reach their restoredpositions, is ineffective to restore it to its initial position. Fluidis exhausted from the fluid motors 28, 30 and 32 via the conduits 292and 294, conduit 290, solenoid operative valve 262, conduits 260 and244, valve 242 and conduit 248 to the reservoir 226. Fluid is exhaustedfrom a fluid motor 66 via conduit 266, throttle valve 254, conduits 252and 244, valve 242 and conduit 248 to the reservoir 226.

During the upward travel of collar 278 with piston rod 86, it pivots arocker arm 310 pivoted on a shaft 312 in clockwise direction. Thismovement performs no useful function. During its downward movement,however, collar 278 again engages rocker arm 310 and imparts a slightcounterclockwise movement to it about the shaft 312. Rocker arm 310 isformed at its lower side with an ear 314 which is in abutting contactwith a pusher rod 316 controlling the operation of a ball valve 318 ofan air valve assembly 320. The counterclockwise movement of rocker arm310 during downward movement of the collar 278 shifts push rod 316 tothe right as viewed in FIGURE 2 to unseat the ball valve 318 to admitcompressed air via conduit 322 and outlet conduit 324 to supplycompressed air to the compressed air ejector assembly 44. This producesa momentary jet of air via outlet nozzle 326 which acts upon thecompletely formed lock nut as it is lowered by the pusher 26 and thepilot 106 under the action of spring 120, from the recess 104 of theindexing fixture 102. Once the completely formed lock nut is clear ofthe indexing fixture 102, this jet of air pushes it oflf of the top ofthe pusher 26 and drives it into the inlet end of the chute 46 (FIGURE1).

Once the collar 278 is passed the rocker arm 310, it and the push rod316 are restored to their normal position,

r 8 as shown in FIGURE 2, by the action of a spring (not shown) actingupon the ball valve 318.

When the collar 278 reaches its lower limit position, it abuts arm 275of rocker arm 268 to restore the switch 266 to its initially describedposition in which solenoid 264 is effective to close main cylinder shutoff valve 262 to restore the system to its initial condition to initiatethe above described cycle again. The pressure responsive device 298having been restored to its initial position in which switch 250 socontrols valve 242 that pressure is applied from conduit 238 to conduit248 and conduit 246 is connected to return line 248 by the increase inpressure via conduit 306 as the pistons of cylinders 28, 30 and 32 and66 reach their limit positions.

Referring to FIGURE 12, the pressure responsive device 298 comprises abody member 328 formed with a through bore 330 into the lower end ofwhich is received a closed end bushing 331 into which opens the conduit296 and into the middle of which opens the conduit 306. A piston 332 ismounted within the bore 330 for vertical sliding movement between theinlet openings for conduits 296 and 306. Piston 332 is equipped with apiston rod 334 which is slidably guided in the through bore 335 of anadjusting screw 336 which is threaded into the upper end of bore 330 andwhich may be vertically adjusted therein to establish the upper limitposition of the piston 332, the adjusted position of screw 336 beingfixed by a lock nut 338. The upper end of the piston rod 334 projectingbeyond the top of screw 336 is equipped with a hard metal button 340adapted to abut the rocker arm 300 to etfect its pivotal movement.Rocker arm 300 is pivoted at 342 and cooperates With a push button 344of the switch 250 to control its set position. Button 344 is springbiased upwardly to oppose counterclockwise movement of rocker arm 300and is effective to restore rocker arm 300 to its clockwise position asthe piston rod 334 is lowered. When an increase in pressure occurs inconduit 296, as described above, fluid flow through bushing 331, passage297, passage 297a, and adjustable metering orifice 346 to exert pressureon the lower face of piston 332 to shift it upwardly, fluid above piston332 being exhausted through conduit 306. When fluid pressure is appliedto conduit 306 and conduit 296 is connected to exhaust as abovedescribed, piston 332 is forced downwardly and fluid from the chamberbelow piston 332 is exhausted via orifice 346, passages 297a and 297,bushing 331 and conduit 296. The speed of response of the pressureresponsive device 298 may be adjusted by a needle valve 346.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is apparent that the presentinvention provides a new and improved device for rapidly and accuratelyforming side indented lock nuts from internally threaded nuts ofpolygonal cross section and which may be readily adapted to accommodateany size nut, and with slight modifications, to accommodate flanged andacorn nuts. The machine of the present invention may be utilized toeffect any pressure penetrating operation and may in addition he usedfor assembling operations in which one article is to be inserted by apress fit into another without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. A device for feeding nuts to and orienting them at a work stationcomprising a nut receiving station having a member formed with avertically disposed through opening and a side opening normallyintersecting said through opening, means for feeding a plurality of nutsseriatim through said side opening and into said through opening, saidthrough opening being of such size as to receive only one nut at a timeand being of such polygonal configuration as to establish apredetermined angular orientation of each nut therein, means at saidreceiving station for supporting each nut in said through opening, afixedly mounted nut indexing fixture at said work station providing adownwardly opening recess having a cross-section corresponding to thatof said through opening and being spaced vertically above and inalignment with said through opening, said recess being of such size asto receive only one nut at a time and being of such polygonalconfiguration as to retain the nut angular orientation established bysaid through opening, and means operable to supportingly engage thebottom surface of an angularly oriented nut in said through opening tovertically lift said nut through said through opening and into saidrecess, and means at said work station providing a piloting membercoaxially disposed in said recess and adapted to extend into the bore ofa nut lifted into said recess for accurately aligning the nut in saidrecess.

2. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said means supporting said nutin said through opening comprises an element having a horizontal nutsupport surface and a through opening coaxially aligning with saidthrough opening, and wherein said means for lifting said nut comprises areciprocal member slidable through the opening of said element andoperable to support a nut lifted thereby in said indexing fixture foroperation thereon by a tool.

3. The device defined in claim 2 comprising spring biased meanspermitting limited vertical movement of said piloting member relative tosaid indexing fixture, said indexing fixture having a plurality of sidetool openings communicating with said recess.

4. A device for feeding nuts to and orienting them at a work stationcomprising a nut receiving station having a member formed with a sideopening recess and a top opening intersecting said recess atsubstantially right angles, means for feeding a plurality of nutsseriatim laterally through said side opening recess to a positionbeneath said top opening, means in said recess for establishing apredetermined angular orientation of each nut relative to said topopening, means at said work station defining an immovably mounted nutorienting indexing fixture spaced vertically above said top opening andhaving a downwardly opening recess of polygonal cross section aligningwith said top opening, means so engaging a nut in said receiving stationas to support and lift one nut at a time through said top opening andinto said fixture recess, and a pilot resiliently mounted on saidfixture coaxial with and within said fixture recess to coact with thehole in each nut to properly axially align said nut relative to saidfixture recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,338,462 Rydbeck Apr. 27, 1920 2,141,280 Selman Dec. 27, 1938 2,859,459Stoll Nov. 11, 1958 Patent No. 3, 139,638 July 7, 1964 Gail C, Abbott Itis hereby certified that err ent requiring correction and that thcorrected below.

or appears in the above numbered pate said Letters Patent should read asColumn 2 line 17, for "feding" read feeding column 3, line 35, for"being" read between column 4, line 33, for "nut 56" read recess 104column 5, lines 23 to 26, strike out "188 passing through bolster plate40 and the member 174 and fluid is introduced into cylinder 166 on theopposite side of piston 168 through a conduit" Signed and sealed this22nd day of December 1964 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER E IDWARD J BRENNER" A1 testing Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A DEVICE FOR FEEDING NUTS TO AND ORIENTING THEM AT A WORK STATIONCOMPRISING A NUT RECEIVING STATION HAVING A MEMBER FORMED WITH AVERTICALLY DISPOSED THROUGH OPENING AND A SIDE OPENING NORMALLYINTERSECTING SAID THROUGH OPENING, MEANS FOR FEEDING A PLURALITY OF NUTSSERIATIM THROUGH SAID SIDE OPENING AND INTO SAID THROUGH OPENING, SAIDTHROUGH OPENING BEING OF SUCH SIZE AS TO RECEIVE ONLY ONE NUT AT A TIMEAND BEING OF SUCH POLYGONAL CONFIGURATION AS TO ESTABLISH APREDETERMINED ANGULAR ORIENTATION OF EACH NUT THEREIN, MEANS AT SAIDRECEIVING STATION FOR SUPPORTING EACH NUT IN SAID THROUGH OPENING, AFIXEDLY MOUNTED NUT INDEXING FIXTURE AT SAID WORK STATION PROVIDING ADOWNWARDLY OPENING RECESS HAVING A CROSS-SECTION CORRESPONDING TO THATOF SAID THROUGH OPENING AND BEING SPACED VERTICALLY ABOVE AND INALIGNMENT WITH SAID THROUGH OPENING, SAID RECESS BEING OF SUCH SIZE ASTO RECEIVE ONLY ONE NUT AT A TIME AND BEING OF SUCH POLYGONALCONFIGURATION AS TO RETAIN THE NUT ANGULAR ORIENTATION ESTABLISHED BYSAID THROUGH OPENING, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO SUPPORTINGLY ENGAGE THEBOTTOM SURFACE OF AN ANGULARLY ORIENTED NUT IN SAID THROUGH OPENING TOVERTICALLY LIFT SAID NUT THROUGH SAID THROUGH OPENING AND INTO SAIDRECESS, AND MEANS AT SAID WORK STATION PROVIDING A PILOTING MEMBERCOAXIALLY DISPOSED IN SAID RECESS AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO THE BORE OFA NUT LIFTED INTO SAID RECESS FOR ACCURATELY ALIGNING THE NUT IN SAIDRECESS.